Judaism 101: Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Observances: Sounding the shofar (ram's horn trumpet) Length: 2 Days (Some: 1 Day) Customs: Dipping apples in honey; Casting off "sins" into a river Greeting: L'shanah tovah! (For a good year!) ...In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. -Leviticus 16:24 Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri . In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American midnight drinking bash and daytime football game.

There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one: Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year. More on this concept at Days of Awe . The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25. The shofar is a ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue . A total of 100 notes are sounded each day.

There are four different types of shofar notes: tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts (I think) 10 seconds minimum. Click the shofar above to hear an approximation of the sound of Tekiah Shevarim-Teruah Tekiah. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat . No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in synagogue , where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. In fact, there is a special prayerbook called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays. Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year.

This was the second Jewish religious practice I was ever exposed to (the first one: lighting Chanukkah candles), and I highly recommend it. It's yummy. We also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason. Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("casting off"). We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins. Small pieces of bread are commonly put in the pocket to cast off. This practice is not discussed in the Bible, but is a long-standing custom. Tashlikh is normally observed on the afternoon of the first day, before afternoon services. When the first day occurs on Shabbat , many synagogues observe Tashlikh on Sunday afternoon, to avoid carrying (the bread) on Shabbat. Religious services for the holiday focus on the concept of G-d 's sovereignty. The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ("for a good year").

This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." More on that concept at Days of Awe . You may notice that the Bible speaks of Rosh Hashanah as occurring on the first day of the seventh month. The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nissan, occurring in March and April. Why, then, does the Jewish "new year" occur in Tishri, the seventh month? Judaism has several different "new years," a concept which may seem strange at first, but think of it this way: the American "new year" starts in January, but the new "school year" starts in September, and many businesses have "fiscal years" that start at various times of the year.

In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time). See Extra Day of Jewish Holidays for an explanation of why this holiday is celebrated for two days instead of the one specified in the Bible.

List of Dates Rosh Hashanah will occur on the following days of the secular calendar: Jewish Year 5777: sunset October 2, 2016 - nightfall October 4, 2016 Jewish Year 5778: sunset September 20, 2017 - nightfall September 22, 2017 Jewish Year 5779: sunset September 9, 2018 - nightfall September 11, 2018 Jewish Year 5780: sunset September 29, 2019 - nightfall October 1, 2019 Jewish Year 5781: sunset September 18, 2020 - nightfall September 20, 2020 For additional holiday dates, see Links to Jewish Calendars . © Copyright 5756-5771 (1995-2011), Tracey R Rich If you appreciate the many years of work I have put into this site, show your appreciation by linking to this page, not copying it to your site.

I can't correct my mistakes or add new material if it's on your site. Click Here for more details. Introduction to the Jewish Calendar The Jewish week (shavu'a) begins on Sunday and ends on Shabbat: days of the week The Importance of Shabbat The fourth of the ten mitzvot (commandments) is, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8, KJV). Shabbat is therefore considered to be the most important day of the week, since the observance of Shabbat is explicitly set forth as one of the Ten Commandments . In fact, Shabbat is considered the most important of the Jewish Holidays, even more important than Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur! During Shabbat , no "work" (defined under 39 main categories associated with the building of the Tabernacle in the desert) is to be performed, since this would violate the idea of "rest" (shabbaton) that is to mark the day. Weekly Torah Readings Weekly Torah readings are divided into 54 sections. A given weekly section is called a parashah (pl.

parashiyot) and is read during a synagogue service. Each portion has a Hebrew name (usually the first word of the section). A haftarah is a reading from the Nevi'im (prophets) that is recited directly following the Torah reading. For a table of the weekly readings, click here . Jewish Months The duration of a Hebrew month (chodesh) is measured by the amount of time it takes for the moon to go through a lunar cycle, about 29.5 days: Rosh Chodesh The appearance of the new moon is called Rosh Chodesh ("head of the month"). Twelve chodeshim make a Shanah, or year. The new moon is observed in synagogues with additional prayers. Lunar Leap Years Since the solar year is 365 days long but a moon year is only 354 days (29.5 x 12), an extra month is added to the Hebrew calendar every two or three years. The formula is a bit esoteric, but every 19 years there are seven leap years (the third, sixth, eighth, eleventh, fourteenth, seventeenth and nineteenth years).

In a leap year a 13th month is added called Adar Sheni (Adar II). In the Tanakh, the first month of the calendar is Nisan (when Passover occurs - see Exod. 12:12); however, Rosh Hashanah ("head of the year") is in Tishri, the seventh month, and that is when the year number is increased. The Jewish Year (שָׁנָה שֶׁל עִבְרִית) The Jewish year is cyclical, with seasonal holidays and festivals. The names of the months of the Jewish calendar year were adopted during the time of Ezra the Scribe, after the return from the Babylonian exile. months of the year The three bold-faced festival names are known as Shalosh Regalim, the three "Pilgrim Festivals" (Exod. 23:14), that focus on key national events in Israel's history (i.e., the Exodus). These festivals mark the three times in the yearly liturgical cycle when all Jews are required to go up to Jerusalem to pray and sacrifice.

Today, Jews mark these times with extended worship and prayer, study, distinctive prayer melodies, and festive meals. The Jewish High Holidays run from the ten days from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur and focus on individual repentance (teshuvah). The date of Jewish holidays does not change from year to year. However, since the Jewish year is not the same length as the solar year on the Gregorian calendar, the date will appear to "shift" when viewed from the perspective of the Gregorian calendar. Four Jewish New Years You might be surprised to discover that by the time the Mishnah was compiled (200 AD), the Jewish sages had identified four separate new-year dates for every lunar-solar year (the modern Jewish calendar was ratified by Hillel the Elder in the 3rd century AD): Nisan 1 (i.e., Rosh Chodashim ) marks the start of the month of the Exodus from Egypt and the beginning of Jewish national history. As such, it represents the start of the Biblical year for counting the festivals ( Exod. 12:2 ). Note that the month of Nisan is also called Aviv since it marks the official start of spring.

Elul 1 marks the start of the year from the point of view of tithing cattle for Temple sacrifices. Since the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the rabbis decreed that this date should mark the time of Selichot , or preparation for repentance before Rosh Hashanah. Elul 1 marks the start of the last month of summer. Tishri 1 was originally associated with the agricultural "Feast of Ingathering" at the "end of the year" ( Exod. 23:16, 34:22 ), though after the destruction of the Second Temple, the sages decided it would mark the start of the civil year in the fall. Tishri 1 was therefore called Rosh Hashanah ("the head of the year") which begins a ten-day "trial" of humanity climaxing on the Day of Atonement ( Yom Kippur ). Shevat 15 (i.e., Tu B'Shevat ) originally marked the date for calculating the tithes of the harvest (ma'aserot) that farmers would pledge to the priests of Israel.

This was the start of the year from the point of view of tithing of fruit trees. Today Tu B'Shevat represents a national Arbor Day in Israel, with tree planting ceremonies in Israel. Unlike the other three "new years," Tu B'Shevat begins in the middle of the month, during a full moon in winter. In practical terms, however, there are two "New Years" in Jewish tradition. The first occurs two weeks before Passover (Nisan 1) and the second occurs ten days before Yom Kippur (the other two "new years" are not regularly observed, except by the Ultra Orthodox). The first New Year is Biblical and is called Rosh Chodashim (see Exod. 12:2 ). This is the month of the redemption of the Jewish people -- and it is also the month in which Yeshua was sacrificed upon the cross at Moriah for our sins. Oddly enough for most Christians, "New Years Day" should be really celebrated in the Spring.... The "Dual Aspect" Calendar In this connection, notice that the calendar is divided into two equal parts of exactly six lunar months each, both of which center on redemptive rituals and end with harvests.

The first half of the divine calendar begins on Rosh Chodashim (i.e., Nisan 1; Exod. 12:2 ), which is followed by the instruction to select the Passover lamb on Nisan 10 ( Exod. 12:3 ), slaughter it in the late afternoon of 14th ( Exod. 12:6-7 ) and eat it on the 15th ( Exod. 12:8 ). The Passover itself initiated the seven day period of unleavened bread (from Nisan 15-22), wherein no leaven was to be consumed ( Exod. 12:15-20 ). On an agricultural level, Passover represents spring, the season of the firstfruit harvests (i.e., chag ha-katzir: חַג הַקָּצִיר), and so on. On the "other side of the calendar," Yom Teruah (or Rosh Hashanah) marks the start of the second half of the year ( Exod. 23:16, Lev.

23:24 ), which is followed by the Yom Kippur sacrifice ten days later, on Tishri 10 ( Lev. 23:27 ), followed by the weeklong festival of Sukkot ("Tabernacles") that occurs from Tishri 15-22 ( Lev. 23:34-36 ). On an agricultural level, Sukkot represents the reaping of the the fall harvest (i.e., chag ha'asif: חַג הָאָסִף) at the "end of the year" ( Exod. 23:16 ). In other words, in some respects the fall holidays "mirror" the spring holidays on the divine calendar, and indeed, both sides of the calendar represent different aspects of God's redemptive plan for the world. As I've written about elsewhere, the spring holidays represent the first advent of Yeshua (i.e., Yeshua as Suffering Servant, Lamb of God, Messiah ben Yosef), whereas the fall holidays represent His second advent (Yeshua as Conquering Lord, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Messiah ben David).

Cycles of Time... As mentioned above, instead of thinking of time as a linear sequence of events (i.e., the measurement of motion), Jewish thinking tends to regard it in terms of a spiral or "helix," with a forward progression delimited by an overarching (and divine) pattern that recurs cyclically throughout the weeks, months, and years of life. This can be seen in the Hebrew language itself. Some of the sages note that the Hebrew word for "year" - shanah (שָׁנָה) - shares the same root as both the word "repeat" (שָׁנָה) and the word "change" (שִׁנָּה). In other words, the idea of the "Jewish year" implies ongoing "repetition" - mishnah (מִשְׁנָה) - or an enduring "review" of the key prophetic events of redemptive history as they relived in our present experiences...

(The idea that the events of the fathers were "parables" for us is expressed in the maxim: מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹת סִימָן לַבָּנִים / ma'aseh avot siman labanim: "The deeds of the fathers are signs for the children.") The Jewish year then repeats itself thematically, but it also changes from year to year as we progress closer to the coming Day of Redemption... We see this very tension (i.e., constancy-change), for example, in the "dual aspect" of the ministry of Yeshua our Messiah. In His first advent Yeshua came as our Suffering Servant and thereby fulfilled the latent meaning of the spring holidays, and in His second advent He will fulfill the latent meaning of the fall holidays. Nonetheless, we still commemorate both the "type and its fulfillment" every year during Passover by extending the ritual of the Seder to express the reality of Yeshua as the world's "Lamb of God," just as we commemorate the fall holidays in expectation of His rule and reign as our King....

None of this is meant to suggest, by the way, that there isn't an "end point" in the process - a Day in which we will be with God and enjoy His Presence forever... The idea of the "cycles" of time, or "timeless patterns within time," suggests, however, that the "seed" for our eternal life with God has already been sown - and was indeed foreknown even from the Garden of Eden - despite the fact that we presently groan while awaiting the glory of heaven... How to calculate the Jewish Year The year number on the Jewish calendar represents the number of years since creation, calculated by adding up the ages of people in the Tanakh back to the time of creation. To calculate the Jewish Year from our Gregorian calendar, you subtract 1,240 and then add 5,000. For example, if the year is 2005, subtract 1,240 to get 765. Then add 5,000 to obtain the Jewish year of 5765.

Note that this works only up to Rosh Hashanah of the current Gregoraian calendar: after Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) add one more year (e.g., 5766). For information about how to write the Hebrew year, click here . How to determine Jewish Leap Years A year is a Jewish "leap year" if the number year mod 19 is one of the following: 0, 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, or 17. Use a scientific calculator with the mod function to determine the result. For example, 5771(mod)19 = 14, indicating that it is a leap year. What is the true Jewish Year? Some have said that the Jewish Year counts from creation but excludes the various years of the captivities, while Rabbinical tradition states there are about 165 "missing years" from the date of the destruction of the First Temple to the date of the destruction of the Second Temple.

Others suggest that there are some missing years in the Hebrew calendar due to a corruption in the accounting of the years of the Persian monarchies, and that these years were consciously suppressed in order to disguise the fact that Daniel's prophecy of the 70 weeks pointed to Yeshua as the true Mashiach of Israel. In short, educated uncertainty exists regarding the exact year we are living in since the Creation of the Universe by God... The Jewish Festival Seasons - Mo'edim Jewish time is cyclical and prophetic, a sort of a ascending spiral to God. The observant Jew will pray three times every day. On the seventh day of the week, Shabbat is celebrated, as is Rosh Chodesh at the start of the new month. In addition, the various larger periods of time, seasons, have their own prophetic role and function in the overall rhythm of Jewish life. Note: The Jewish calendar can be a bit tricky to understand, especially if you are new to the study of the Jewish way of thinking about time! In particular, you must remember that a Jewish holiday begins on the evening previous to the day indicated on a Jewish calendar (unless that happens to be a Sabbath, in which case the date is moved earlier).

For example, Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) occurs on Nisan 27 - unless that day is a Sabbath - in which case it is moved earlier to Nisan 26 (whenever in doubt, consult an authoritative Jewish calendar). Spring - Deliverance Why Are There Four Jewish New Years? Why Are There Four Jewish New Years? Why Are There Four Jewish New Years? The Jewish Calendar By Peter Pelaia Updated September 04, 2016. The Jewish calendar traditionally has four new years days each with a different purpose. While this may seem strange at first glance it is not so different from the modern American calendar. We have the regular calendar year (January-December), fiscal or budget years for businesses which can have various start dates, the government's fiscal year (October-September), and the school year (September-June), just to name a few. The Four Jewish New Years 1st of Nisan: The first new year is the 1st of the Hebrew month of Nisan, usually in the early spring (April). Nisan is considered the first month of the Hebrew calendar though years are counted from the 1st of Tishrei, the seventh month.

The 1st of Nisan was considered the new year for counting the years of the reigns of kings in ancient Israel. It is also the new year for ordering the Jewish holidays. The month of Nisan is closely tied with the festival of Passover, while Rosh Hashanah is seen as the anniversary of the creation of the world, the 1st of Nisan is seen in a way as the anniversary of the founding of the Jewish people when they escaped from Egypt during the Passover story. 1st of Elul: The second "new year" is on the 1st of Elul, the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar which usually falls in the late summer (August). According to the Mishnah this was the new year for animal tithes. It was used to determine the start date for the animal tithe to the priestly class in ancient Israel, similar to how we use April 15th in the US as tax day. Generally this new year is no longer observed, although the month of Elul does mark the beginning of preparations for Rosh Hashanah.

1st of Tishrei, aka Rosh Hashanah : Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year with which we are most familia. It falls on the 1st of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, which usually corresponds to sometime in the month of September. It marks the day when the Jewish calendar year advances and is seen traditionally as the date when the world was created. In ancient times it was also used for calculating certain tithes, such as those for vegetables, and for calculating the start of Sabbatical and Jubilee years when land was left fallow. For more on Rosh Hashanah, click on this link . 15th of Shvat, aka Tu B'Shvat : Tu B'Shvat is considered the new year for trees, usually falling between January and February. According to the Torah fruits cannot be consumed from trees less than three years old, Tu B'Shvat was used as the starting date for determining the age of the trees. Unlike the 1st of Nisan and the 1st of Elul, Tu B'Shvat is still widely observed as a minor Jewish holiday. For more on Tu B'Shvat, click on this link .

Origins of the Four New Years The main textual origin for the four new years comes from the Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah 1:1 . There are references to several of these new years days in the Torah as well. The new year on the 1st of Nisan is mentioned in both Exodus 12:2 and Deuteronomy 16:1. Rosh Hashanah on the 1st of Tishrei is described in Numbers 29:1-2 and Leviticus 23:24-25. Rosh Hashana - The Jewish New Year - ראש השנה | Hebcal Jewish Calendar Rosh Hashana Rosh Hashana / ראש השנה Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה), (literally "head of the year"), is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim ("Days of Awe"), celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is described in the Torah as יום תרועה (Yom Teru'ah, a day of sounding [the Shofar]).

Rosh Hashana begins at sundown on Wed, 20 September 2017. Rosh Hashanah: History & Overview | Jewish Virtual Library Tweet Rosh Hashanah is the autumnal festival celebrating the start of the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri . In Hebrew , the phrase Rosh Hashanah literally means "head of the year" and thus the holiday is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive to those unaffiliated with Jewish practices, however, as there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days in the Jewish year, and the Western, secular interpretation of New Years. There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the secular one: many people use New Years as a time to make "resolution" and plan to lead a better life. Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.

This period of introspection does not end at the conclusion of Rosh HaShanah but actualy stretches for ten days, known commonly as the Days of Awe , until Yom Kippur . The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom HaZikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom T'ruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar ). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25 . The shofar is a ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue. A total of 100 notes are sounded each day.

There are four different types of shofar notes: tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts (I think) 10 seconds minimum. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on a Sabbath . No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. We also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason. In addition to dipping an apple honey, we eat round challah bread to symbolize the circle of the life and the cycle of a new year. The challah is also in the shape of a crown because we refer to God as royalty several times throughout the holidays.

Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("casting off"). We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins. This practice is not discussed in the Bible, but is a long-standing custom. Religious services for the holiday focus on the concept of God's sovereignty. The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ("for a good year"). This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." More on that concept at Days of Awe . You may notice that the Bible speaks of Rosh Hashanah as occurring on the first day of the seventh month. The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nissan, occurring in March and April. Why, then, does the Jewish "new year" occur in Tishri, the seventh month?

Judaism has several different "new years," a concept which may seem strange at first, but think of it this way: the American "new year" starts in January, but the new "school year" starts in September, and many businesses have "fiscal years" that start at various times of the year. In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time). Marcia Pravder Mirkin states that, "On Rosh Hashanah we read the tragic and transforming family story of Sarah, Hagar, Abrham, Ishmael, and Isaac. We read it on a holiday that emphasizes teshuvah, turning around, becoming a better person, living a life closer to what God wants from us.

How can we experience teshuvah?...teshuvah needs to include empathy, empathetic listening, paying attention, hearing beyond words to the soul and meaning of what is uttered...On Rosh Hashanah we ask God to be empathetic toward us, even tough empathy was so often lacking in ourselves." See Extra Day of Jewish Holidays for an explanation of why this holiday is celebrated for two days instead of the one specified in the Bible. Rosh Hashanah will begin at sunset on the night preceeding the following days in the American calendar: September 25, 2014 (5775) September 14, 15, 2015 (5776) Sources: Judaism 101 , Marcia Pravder Mirkin, “Hearken to Her Voice: Empathy as Teshuva,” Beginning Arrow.

Rosh HaShanah: History | ReformJudaism.org Rosh HaShanah: History Print The origins of Rosh HaShanah are found in the Bible.The Book of Leviticus (23:24-25) declares: “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of rest, a memorial proclaimed with the blowing of the shofar, a holy convocation.” Although this day eventually became Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, it was not originally known as such. In ancient times, there were four “new years” in the Jewish calendar. Each had a distinct significance: The first of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the New Year of Kings, was the date used to calculate the number of years a given king had reigned. The first of the Hebrew month of Elul was the new year for tithing of cattle, a time when one of every 10 cattle was marked and offered as a sacrifice to God. The first of the Hebrew month of Tishrei was the agricultural new year, or the New Year of the Years.

The 15th of the Hebrew month of Sh’vat, known as Tu BiSh’vat, was the New Year of the Trees. Although the Torah refers to Nisan as the first month of the Jewish year, the first day of the month of Tishrei emerged as what we now know as Rosh HaShanah. The Babylonians, among whom the Jews lived, marked a “Day of Judgment” each year. They believed that, on that day, a convocation of their deities assembled in the temple of the god Marduk. These gods, they held, renewed the world and judged each human being, inscribing the fate of every individual on the tablet of destiny. The legend was a powerful one, and Jews most likely borrowed elements from it in shaping Rosh HaShanah. The meeting of many deities evolved into a belief that the one God judged every Jew on that day, immediately inscribing the completely righteous in the Book of Life and consigning the completely wicked to a sad fate. Those “in between,” however, had ten days, concluding on Yom Kippur, in which to repent before the Book of Life was sealed for the New Year.

In addition to the biblical “holy convocation” and the transformed Babylonian “Day of Judgment,” the first of Tishrei also was associated with the anniversary of the creation of the world, Yom Harat Olam. For these three compelling reasons, the first day of the seventh month ultimately became the “official” Jewish New Year. It was not until about the second century C.E. that the holiday acquired the name Rosh HaShanah, which first appeared in the Mishnah. Before then, however, the day had many other designations. The oldest name, found in the Torah (Numbers 29:1) is Yom T’ruah (Day of Sounding the Shofar). Two other names, undoubtedly reflecting Babylonian influence, were Yom HaZikaron (Day of Remembrance) and Yom HaDin (Day of Judgment). While those terms are still preserved in the liturgy and rabbinic literature, Jews all over the world today usually refer to Rosh HaShanah as the Jewish New Year.

Tags: Rosh Hashanah 2013: The Jewish New Year Explained | The Huffington Post Rosh Hashanah 2013: The Jewish New Year Explained 09/02/2013 03:28 pm ET | Updated Sep 05, 2013 4.6k Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated in 2013 from sundown on Sept. 4 to nightfall on Sept. 6. The Hebrew date for Rosh Hashanah is 1 Tishrei 5774. Though Rosh Hashanah literally means "head of the year," the holiday actually takes place on the first two days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar. This is because Rosh Hashanah, one of four new years in the Jewish year , is considered the new year of people, animals and legal contracts. In the Jewish oral tradition, Rosh Hashanah marks the completion of the creation of the world.

Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days , or Yamim Noraim (the " Days of Awe "), and is followed 10 days later by Yom Kippur , the "day of atonement." The Mishnah refers to Rosh Hashanah as the "day of judgment," and it is believed that God opens the Book of Life on this day and begins to decide who shall live and who shall die. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are viewed as an opportunity for Jews to repent (teshuvah, in Hebrew) and ensure a good fate. Jews traditionally gather in synagogues on Rosh Hashanah for extended services that follow the liturgy of a special prayerbook, called a mahzor, that is used during the Days of Awe. At specific times throughout the service, a shofar , or ram's horn, is blown. The mitzvah (commandment) to hear the shofar, a literal and spiritual wake-up call , is special to this time of year.

The new year is the only Jewish holiday that is observed for two days by all Jews (other holidays are observed for just one day within the Land of Israel) as it is also the only major holiday that falls on a new moon. A common greeting on Rosh Hashanah is shana tovah u'metukah, Hebrew for "a good and sweet new year." Many traditional Rosh Hashanah foods -- apples and honey, raisin challah, honey cake and pomegranate -- are eaten, in part, for this reason. Rosh Hashanah Recipes

Question: In Judaism, what name is given to the Jewish New Year?
Answer: ROSH HASHANAH